The South African National Editor’s Forum (Sanef) has condemned the attack on two journalists from The Citizen newspaper, as well as on activists, after the funeral of slain anti-mining activist Sikhosiphi ‘Bazooka’ Rhadebe in a remote Eastern Cape village near Mbizana on Saturday.
Two journalists and two anti-mining activists were treated after they were violently attacked by a mob in Xolobeni in Amadiba administration area in the Eastern Cape.
Photo journalist Nigel Sibanda, and journalist Simnikiwe Hlatshaneni were covering the funeral of anti-mining activist Rhadebe. The slain activist was shot dead two weeks ago at his home in Xolobeni, near Mbizana in the Eastern Cape.
Rhadebe was shot multiple times, allegedly by hitmen. He was one of the people in Xolobeni opposed to the mining of titanium-rich sand dunes in the area by Australian mining company Mineral Resources Limited (MRL).
According to a source, the journalists wanted to capture pictures of the sand dunes and had taken two activists along with them when an angry mob approached them.
They were allegedly beaten with knobkerries, the blunt end of a machete as well as with fists.
A source who did not want to be named was in the area to collect research around the ongoing violence in the area.
He said he was at the hospital in Port Sheptone where the four were treated for trauma and shock.
“The photographer was really badly injured, he a had a broken leg and one of the activists had a broken arm, as well as a severely injured leg, they actually could not walk,” he said.
“The worst thing is when police got to the scene, they continued to be assaulted and police arrested no one,” the source said.
According to the Amadiba Crisis Committee, police officers at the scene asked the group to stop but nothing was done.
“The beating of the two on the ground did not stop until officers from Mzamba and leaders from ACC arrived. The Mpisi police then put two journalists and the local from ACC in the same double cab police bakkie as three attackers,” the ACC said in a statement.
In a statement, Sanef said it was extremely perturbed by the reported behavior of the police and appealed to SAPS to return the photographer’s camera which was confiscated.
“Sanef will join The Citizen management in approaching the leadership of the SAPS to get answers and ensure justice is done. In the interim, Sanef also urges police to investigate the matter and bring the attackers to book, as well as to return Sibanda’s camera.”
Sanef further appealed to members of the community to allow journalists to conduct their work without fear or favour.
“A free media is essential to a healthy democracy and communities should not view journalists as the enemy.”
Police spokesperson, Lietenunt Khaya Tonjeni, confirmed that two cases of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and a case of intimidation were being investigated.
Tonjeni said that no arrests had yet been made.
– African News Agency (ANA)
